MLB.com Twins beat reporter Rhett Bollinger keeps you up to date on all Twins news

Indians claim Thome, White Sox claim Kubel

MINNEAPOLIS — Twins designated hitter Jim Thome was claimed on waivers by the Indians, while the White Sox were awarded the waiver claim on Twins outfielder Jason Kubel, according to a FOXSports.com report.

Minnesota has until noon CT tomorrow to work out deals with the claiming teams, but can also pull the claimed players back off waivers.

The Twins, however, did not offer a comment, as waiver moves are supposed to be confidential, per Major League rules.

Thome, who has a no-trade clause and has never won a World Series, declined to state whether he’d accept a trade to a contender when asked earlier this week.

The Indians enter today six games back of the first-place Tigers in the American League Central, and it’s unclear whether he would OK a trade to Cleveland.

Thome did play there for the first 12 seasons of his career from 1991-2002, and could be a fit considering Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner is on the disabled list with a right foot strain.

Kubel, meanwhile, also makes sense for the White Sox, who are 6 1/2 games out, because outfielder Carlos Quentin has been bothered by a shoulder injury.

But he currently projects as a Type B free agent, and could even achieve Type A status, so the Twins would want a good return to make up for losing a compensation pick, or possibly two, in next year’s First-Year Player Draft.

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